Leakage compensator for pumping systems



'Dec. 7, 1937. SONNTAG 2,101,226

LEAKAGE COMPENSA'IOR FOR PUMPING SYSTEMS Filed Dec. 3, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l 42 40 an as. Q

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Dec. 7, 1937. A, so' N 2,101,226

- LEAKAGE GOMPENSATOR FOR PUMPING SYSTEMS 4 Filed Dec. 5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a? F igo 0 i gc 60 56 5 v V i I 3mm:

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Patented Dec. 7, 1937 LEAKAGE COMPENSATOB FOR PUMPING SYSTEMS Alfred Sonntag, Molina, 111., assignor, by means assignments, to American Maclfine and Metals, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 3, 1935, Serial No. 52,714

Claims. (01. 103-37) This invention relates to a method and'apparatus for obtaining a constant rate of motion of the moving head in a hydraulic testing machine regardless of the load or pressure at which the machine is operating.

In making compressive or tensile tests it is desired to subject the specimen to be tested to a measurable load which exerts a uniform rate of compression or elongation to the specimen. Ii the testing machine is of the hydraulic type, the load is obtained by hydraulic pressure acting against a ram in a closed cylinder, and ordinarily the hydraulic pressure is derived by the action of an oil or other fluid pump which delivers the fluid to the closed cylinder.

Hydraulic testing machines as previously operated have been not entirely satisfactory, as the hydraulic system, including the pump and the cylinder in which the ram of .the testing machine operates, is subject to perceptible leakage.

since a test on a specimen always starts at zero load and rises to the maximum loadwhich it is capable of withstanding, it follows that the leakage during a test also must vary in a relative degree. when the source of supply has a constant out-put, or is a constant speed pump, any leakage in the system interferes with the uniformity of the rate at which the fluid increases in the closed cylinder behind the ram, and consequently interferes with the uniformity of the movement of the ram, with the result that unless otherwise compensated for, the movement of the ram and the rate of elongation or compression of the specimen being tested gradually becomesislower as the pressure rises.

According to the present invention, the leakage in the system is compensated for automatically by increasing the rate at which fluid is supplied to the system by an amount equal to the leakage at the pressure existing in the fluid system at any time, whereby a truly constant rate oi movement of the ram will be obtained.

In order to provide for an automatic increase of the rate at which fluid is supplied to the sys-' tem, the leakage at intervals throughout the entire pressure range of the system is first ascertained, and a leakage curve plotted against'co'rresponding pressures. A slot, which isa replica of this leakage curve, is then cut in a plate and controlled thereby, and by-having the slot control an auxiliary means for increasing the pump discharge. Thus, as the pressure within the system, and consequently the leakage, varies,

the position of the slot will vary and the control means will be shifted automatically to increase or decrease the extent to which the auxiliary pump-di'scharge-increasing means is brought into operation.

The invention is further illustrated in the accompanying drawings and description, but it is to be understood that this further illustration and description are to be taken as an exempliflcation of the invention and the same is not limited thereto except as set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of an apparatus for carrying out my invention, with parts of the fluid pump being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a section through the fluid pump on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view with a portion of .the means for automatically increasing the delivery of fluid to the system being shown in section; Fig. 4 isa side elevation of a modification of the invention; and w Figs. 5 and 6 are, respectively, side and end views of a'modifled means for progressively increasing the resistance to movement of the control plate under the tone oi the pressure in the fluid system.

In the drawings, the numeral I designates a pump or impeller unit of the type which is com-.

and to be maintained in contact with the cams at all times. The upper end of each bore is provided with an inlet port 8 and an outlet port 9,

having a ball valve In, through whichlthe fluid is discharged into conduits ll which'communicate with a manifold i2. The fluid conduit ll leads from the manifold I! to the cylinderoi! the press. or hydraulic testing machine (not shown), in which the operating ram is mounted for reciprocatory movement, whereby the pressure exerted by the pump is transmitted to the specimen being tested. The upper ends oi. the plungers 2 are beveled or' mitered to afford a .plane oblique face I adapted to act as a cut-ofl for the inlet ports a, depending upon their rotatlve position. The oblique faces it are so located that with the plungers in their uppermost position they may be rotated to completely out 0d the intake port d, or to completely open the same.

plungers 2 so that variable discharge effects may be obtained from a constant stroke of the plungers, each plunger passes through a part l5 having a gear segment I50; which meshes with a common rack bar it. Suitable keys or splines carried by the part it engage slots in the plungers to cause their rotation without interfering with their reciprocation. The end of the rack bar has a collar ii secured thereto and a spring l8 urges the rack bar to the left, in Fig. 1, until it engages a screw ES which has a micrometer wheel 20 fixed on its outer end. The micrometer wheel cooperates with the fixed scale 2i, so that the opening or closing of the inlet ports 8 and consequently the'rate of flow of the fluid into the system, may be controlled. v

The pump just described is of a type commonly used for obtaining adesired rate of flow into a fluid system andof itself forms no part of myinventlon. If desired, other forms of pumps having a constant stroke with a variable discharge 'efiect, or pumps having a variable stroke, may be used.

The fluid in the system communicates with a cylinder 22, which for sake of compactness is formed-at the end of the manifold l2, but which may be formed as a separate unit. The cylinder 22 has upper and lower flanges 23 and 23 which are apertured at 25 and 26, so that rods- 21 which, with the upper and lower cross-heads 29 and 39, form a yoke, are free to pass therethrough. The upper flange also acts as a base for the upright extensions 3i which support a cross-head 33.

A plunger 8t having it machined fit with the cylinder 22 is slldable therein, and has its outer end resting in a spherical seat in the lower cross-head 36. Thus an increase of the pressure within the system tends to cause the lower head to be depressed, but such movement is restrained, to a great extent, by the coil spring 36, which has its oppwite ends connected to the cross-heads 29 and 533.

The lower cross-head has secured to the under side thereof, a control'plate 3'8. The plate 31 has a slot 38 which is a replica of the leakage curve of the fluid system formed therein. The slot 38 engages a pin 39 extending from arack 66, which in turn meshes with a gear segment ti similar to the segment l5a for rotating a plunger 62 reciprocably mounted in a bore 43 of the pump casing. The plunger Q2 has an oblique plane upper face it and is reciprocated by a cam -45 on the cam shaft 5. The bore 63 has an inlet port it and a valved outlet port t? which communicates with a conduit 41% leading to the manifold l2. While the construction of the plunger 62 and its related parts is the same as the plungers 2 and their related parts, the adjustment of-the plunger 32 is independent of the adjustment of the plungers 2, and whereas the adjustment of the plungers 2 is manually controlled, the ad-' justment of the plunger $2 is controlled entirely by the extent to which the control plate 37, having the slot 38 therein, is depressed. As the movement of the pin 39 which engages the slot 38 is 'a function of the leakage in the system, the adjustment of the plunger 52 is always such To provide for rotative adjustment of the of flow into the fluid system. Likewise, if desired, the means for controlling the auxiliary discharge-increasing means may comprise two or more units.

The operation of the invention is as follows: Assuming that a tensile test is to be made and that the specimen is to be elongated at a uniform rate, the micrometer wheel 2b is adjusted along the fixed scale 2! to rotatably position the plungers 2 with respect to the inlet ports 8, to 1 give the desired rate of initial fluid discharge into the system by the pump, which discharge rate will be indicated by the scale 2i and micrometer wheel 20.- The pump is then started so that fluid will be pumped into the system and into the closed cylinder to operate the ram of the press or testing machine. The pressure of the fluid in the system, in addition to exerting its force against the operating ram of the press to produce the elongation of the specimen undergoing the test, also exerts its force against the plunger 3% in cylinder 2'2, and as the pressure, and consequently the leakage in the system, increase, the plunger gradually will depress the control plate 31. Such-movement of the control plate 31 causes the pins 39 and rack bar it to be shifted to the right, and as the rack bar engages gear segment ill on plunger in, that plunger will have its rotative position with respect to the inlet port 46 so altered that it will efiect an increase of the rate of discharge equal to the leakage rate of the system at that pressure. As the pump plungers -2 will force the fluid into the system at a definite rate for any given setting of the micrometer wheel 29, and as the auxiliary pump plunger d2 will supplement the discharge of the pump plungers 2,to an extent just equal to the leakage of the system at any pressure, the fluid in the system will increase at a uniform rate, and consequently the ram of the press will move at a uniform rate during the entire test.

The modification shown in Fig. i differs from .the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1, in

that the control plate 31' is adapted to cause a shifting of the rack bar i8 which determines the rotative position of the plungers 2' which determine the rate of delivery into the fluid systerm. In this form of the invention, a scale 2i.

projects from a square sleeve 69 which is slidably but non-rotatively mounted in a fixed standard 5D, and the screw 19' which has its inner end bearing against the outer end of therack bar it is threaded into this sleeve. Thus the rack bar it may be shifted either by a longitudinal movement of the sleeve 49 in the standard 5%, or by of Fig. 1, and in the drawings the parts similar sleeve. and its inner end will carisetherack bar or compression,

by the scale maintained constant. The pin head 29a, so that as the. pressure .testing machines, a primary impeller 'ior ducing liquid into-the system at bear a definite relation to the i I aromas 3 the systemmeans responsive to the pressure in. the system for imparting movement to said template, and means so operated by themovement of the template as to cause said auxiliary impeller to introduce additional liquid into the system to compensate for that lost through leakage.

2. In an hydraulic system adapted for use with testing machines and to operate under pressure, a primary impeller for 'iorcing liquid into the system at a predetermined rate, an auxiliary impeller, a template which is a replica of the IE to be moved inwardly and the rotative'posileakage curve of the system, tion of the plungers 2' thereby shifted with to the pressure inthesystem for imparting movel' p t h inle P r ment to said template, and means operated by Thus, the initial rate of discharge will be dethe movement of the template to cause said auxitermined by the setting of adjusting screw i9 liary impeller to introduce additional liquid into and as the pressure in the system increases and the system to compensate for that lost through the control plate 81'- is depressed, the amount of leakage. v fluid delivered to the system by the pump will 3. In an hydraulic system adapted for use with be increased beyond that for which it was intesting machines, a primary impeller for forcing itially set, by an amount just suflicient to comaizuid into the system at a predetermined rate,

to the corresponding parts of Fig. 1 are desil nated by primed reference characters.

In this form of the invention the parts are so arranged that when no pressure is exerted on the system, the pin 38' is, at or near the bottom of the slot 38'. As the pressure in the system increases the plunger 34 in the cylinder 22' causes the control plate 31' to be depressed and the sleeve 49, which carries the pin 39, to be moved to the right. As the adjusting screw i9 is threaded into the sleeve 49 it will move with thepensate for the loss of fluid due to the leakage an auxiliary impeller, a member having a slot inthe system. The automatic shifting of the erein having a pe bearing. a definite relarack bar' ifi'under the influence ofthe control tion to the leakage curve or the system, means plate 31 is independent entirely of any adiustresponsive to the pressure in the system for imment of the screw i9 in or out of the sleeve 4' parting movement to said member, and means so to vary the initial rate of discharge into the sysoperated by the movement of said slotted memtern, and such automatic shifting causes the rate her :and controlled by the shape of the curve, of elongation of the specimen being tested, as therein as to cause said auxiliary impeller o measured by the rate of fluid discharge indicated introduce additional liquid into the system to 21' and micrometer wheel 2|, to be compensate for that lost thrcugh leakage.

39' engaging in Y 4. In an hydraulic system adapted for use with the slot 38' prevents longitudinal movement of testing machines, a primary impeller for forcing the sleeve 49. except during the automatic corliquid into the system at a predetermined rate,- rection for 'leakage,- and permits the screw I! an auxiliary impeller, a member having a slot therein to be manuallyadjusted at all times. therein which is a replica of the leakage curve lini igs. 5 and 6 the means for causing the proof the system. means responsive to the pressure gressive resistance to movement of the control in the system for imparting-movement to said plate comprises a pendulum 55 which swings Jmembe and means operated by the movement about a pivot 56 mounted in the cross-head 33a. of said slotted member and controlled by the The pivot 56 has fixed thereto a drum B1 to which shape of the slot therein to cause said auxiliary one end of the strap 58 is secured at I59. The impeller to introduce additional liquid into the other end or the strap is secured to the cross--' .system to compensate for that lost through leakof the fluid agm 5. In an hydraulic system adaptedfor use with testing machines, a primary impeller forintroducing liquid into the system at a predetermined rate, an auxiliary impeller, a template shaped vto'bear a definite relation to the leakage curve system, means for mounting said template tends to depress the control plate (not shown), that movement will be progressively resisted by the upward swing of the pendulum 55;

It will be apparent from the foregoing descrlp-q tion that the present invention provides a method and means for the actual testing of a specimen of the by'subjecting it to a uniform rate of elongation,

throughout the entire test, de-' spite the variation of operating 'fluid pressure, and leakage in thezsystem.

I claim:

the pressure in the ment to said template, means tendingto restrain movement of said template, and means so oper- I ated by the movement of the template as to cause 1. In an hydraulic system adapted for use with said liar impell r o ntrod ad i n mmliquid into the system tov compensate for that a predetermined lost through leakage, a template shaped to r I mm) SONNTAG. leakage curve of rate, an auxiliary impeller,

means responsive for reciprocarmovement, means responsive to a system for imparting move- 

